Wrong Number
by Xx.Get.Over.It.xX
Summary: It's amazing how fast your life can change directions, after typing a wrong number into your cell phone..AU Story
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**I do not now own South of Nowhere or anything related to the show, nor this story. Story belongs to Kim Pritekel, all the credit goes to her.

**A/N:**Well here's another one guys. I hope you like this one too. I don't think that this story is going to be very long either, just like the other ones. I'll try to update regularly, that's if school and everything doesn't get in the way of that. Here's chapter one. Enjoy!

**Chapter One**

Spencer could feel her jaw muscles clenching and unclenching as she read the text on the small screen of her phone:

_Y r u being this way? U no I'm not lying 2 u._

"Bullshit," she growled, hitting the reply option on the small phone and quickly began to send off a return message:

Bullshit! I saw ur car at her plce last nite.

With that, the blonde went into her contacts list and promptly erased Carmen's name and phone number, as well as their text-message argument that had been going on for the past half an hour.

She'd heard far too many people talking about all of Carmen's extracurricular activities in their nine month relationship, and then finally seeing Carmen's red Honda in the driveway of another woman, that had done it. It was over.

She decided to tell her soon-to-be ex just that, setting up the phone for another text when she stopped, staring off into the distance of the park where she sat on a bench.

"Shit," she muttered, trying to remember what the hell Carmen's number actually was. It had been stored in her phone since the day they'd met, so she'd never had to remember it. She closed her eyes in concentration for a moment, seeing the ten digits. Satisfied that she had them, she quickly typed them into the phone and then her message:

We r thru. I'm sick of ur lies. I want no part. Tell ur slut she can keep u.

Pressing the send key, she slapped her phone shut and sat back against the hard bench. She'd just finished her five mile jog and had stopped at the park to cool off when she'd gotten the text, Carmen wanting to know why her tires had been slashed. The sound of a car horn honking alerted her that she had an incoming text message. She thought about ignoring it, but decided to see what her ex had to say had to say.

_Sorry I pist u off to the point of breaking up w me b4 we even started dating. I think u got wrong #. Sorry ur day is so bad._

Spencer studied the message with drawn brows, glancing at the phone number. "What the hell?"

U playing games, C? Who is this?

Within moments she had a response.

_Ashley. Not C. No games. Sorry._

"Shit," Spencer said again. She couldn't imagine Carmen playing a game like this. She tapped the small phone against her chin, looking out over the park, the trees already sprouting the colours of fall. She decided to reply.

Sorry bout that. Got wrong # I guess.

_S'kay. Happens. Hope all goes well with C. Hope C stops games._

Spencer smiled.

Thx. Doesn't matter. It's over.

_Ouch. Been there. Good luck 2 u._

Thx.

Spencer slapped her phone shut and pushed to her feet. She stretched her arms over her head, then stretched long legs, still nicely tanned from her daily runs throughout the summer.

As she headed toward her small, three bedroom house just off the park's entrance, she thought back to her time with Carmen. In truth, it wasn't much of a shock that things hadn't worked out. She had jumped into things with the cute brunette not six months after ending her long-term relationship with Kathryn. Carmen had basically been to prove to herself that she was worthy of another woman's caring and touch, after the hell Kathryn had put her through.

Even so, it had hurt pretty bad to find out that Carmen had been playing her for a fool the entire time. Digging her keys from the pocket of her mesh shorts, Spencer unlocked and opened her door, letting herself into the quiet, clean house. If Carmen had to come into her life, perhaps it had been for the very simple act of letting Spencer know that she was still alive, and could still care. She knew she should have waited for more time after her four-year relationship ended.

Sighing heavily, she grabbed a bottled water from the fridge and drank half as she headed upstairs, shedding clothes as she did. A nice, hot shower sounded heavenly about now.

* * *

Spencer brought the blankets up a little further around her waist. The cool, October night was sneaking into the bedroom, chilling the blonde's skin. Her laptop rested on her thighs, her fingers tapping away at the keys. Her next screenplay was just about finished. A few more scenes would complete the drama. The sudden honking of a car horn brought her cell phone to brilliant light on the bedside table next to where she was wrapped up.

Finishing the scene she was working on, Spencer reached over, grabbing the small phone and flipping it open:

_How r u? Did everything go OK with C?_

Spencer was shocked to see the phone number from earlier in the day, when she'd accidentally typed in the number wrong. She decided to respond.

She hasn't called, and I obviously don't have her #. I'm ok. Thx 4 asking.

_No prob. Were u together long?_

9 mos.

_Not a lifetime, but still painful._

"Ain't that the truth," Spencer muttered, quickly hitting the reply option:

Ur very nice to check on me. Thx.

_I've been where u r. I know it hurts. Mine cheated after being tgthr 6 yrs._

Spencer read the text, then read it again. Old, pain-filled memories made her heart hurt. She had been blind to Kathryn's affair, with a woman who had claimed to be a friend, no less. That same woman had the audacity to ask Spencer if she needed help moving after Kathryn had denied their involvement. Kathryn had always been a coward, and Spencer would always see her as such.

I must b a real asshole or something- last 2 gf cheated on me.

It took a long time for the reply to come in. Spencer thought that maybe Ashley did think she was an asshole, too or something. But, finally her phone honked at her.

_Maybe u r too trusting. I've been single for 2 yrs after Caitlin. Hurt too bad._

Spencer was surprised to find she was speaking with a fellow sister. Delighted, she responded:

I hope I haven't brought back bad memories…

_No. U r the one suffering here. My pain is over. Now I'm just careful. What is ur name?_

Spencer chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, trying to decide if she wanted to answer. Finally she decided it was harmless:

Spencer

_Hi, Spencer, and I welcome you 2 the bucket of the dejected. Home 2 many._

Spencer laughed.

I feel honoured and welcome. Do I need a membership card or something?

_No. Just look as miserable as u can during meetings. We take a vote on the worst pout after we sing our theme song._

Again Spencer found herself laughing. "You're amusing, Ashley. I'll give you that."

Ur funny.

_Made you smile, yes?_

Yes.

_Then my job is done._

Spencer smiled big, shaking her head. She marvelled at what a nice person Ashley seemed to be. She couldn't help but wonder what she looked like.

Indeed. I'm off to bed. Thx again and good nite.

_Nite, Spencer. Sleep well._

* * *

Spencer sat in the airport, ready to board the plane that would take her to L.A. so she could have a quick meeting with the director of the latest film featuring one of her scripts. He wanted her to sit through the first read-through with the cast, as the talent typically liked to have access to the writer to help them better understand their characters.

The blonde had sat in on three other such meetings, and was still impressed by the sheer talent that usually surrounded her. And, to top it all off, those extremely talented actors and actresses looked at her as the demigod! She never understood it, but couldn't help but bask in it. She'd been a writer for most of her life, starting as a young child. She'd landed her first gig in television purely by accident, and had moved on to feature film from there. She was slowly making a name for herself in the film industries of Hollywood, as well as the independent market, which she much preferred. L.A. was her bread and butter, but writing for herself in Indies was her passion.

Glancing at the clock, Spencer realized she still had at least forty minutes before the plane began boarding. Rolling her eyes, she sighed, glancing down at the magazine she'd brought with her. No interest in it, she tossed it to the empty seat beside her and removed her phone from the pocket of her jacket. She flipped it open, scanning through her contacts list, trying to decide who could take away her boredom the best. Scanning the list, she immediately rejected about half, knowing that either the person would still be in bed, would drive her crazy, or she just flat out didn't want to talk to them. Then she saw Ashley's name and phone number. She wasn't sure why she'd even kept the stranger in her contact list, but decided to drop her a little message. It had been more than a week since their last text.

Hey, stranger. Thought I'd say hi.

She flipped the phone shut, unsure if Ashley was up, or even around her phone. She opened the phone again, starting anew to scan her list of contacts. She was about to settle for her friend Aiden when the phone honked at her. Surprised, she went to her messages to read the new text.

_Well, aren't u the early bird. Hi back at ya._

Spencer grimaced, hoping she hadn't woken Ashley at- she glanced at her watch- seven thirty-three.

Oops. Sorry. Did I wake u? My bad.

_Yep. No worries though. I need to get up anyway. Gotta feed the goldfish I'm fish-sitting._

Spencer's brows drew.

Sorry bout that. Fish-sitting?

_Yep. It's all the rage this year. The new white- goldfish yellow._

Spencer burst into laughter, making a few of her fellow passengers glance at her.

Wish I could be so amusing in the a.m.

_Amusing? No, this is grouchy. I haven't had my a.m. coffee yet. How are you, anyway? Missed u at the Bucket of the Dejected meeting last night. Had a potluck and everything._

Again, Spencer found herself laughing out loud. Oh, yeah. Ashley was just what she needed to entertain her until she could board.

LMAO!! Aw, shucks. Sorry. I'll do what I can to make the next one.

_So y r u up so early, anyway?_

Sitting at DIA waiting to catch a flight to L.A.

_L.A. huh? Gonna catch some sun?_

No. Work.

_Ah. U should've said something- I would've given u a bottle 2 catch some smog for me._

Spencer smirked.

I'll see what I can do. I'll bring it to the next Bucket of the Dejected meeting.

_Smashing idea!_

Spencer chewed on her bottom lip, making a decision.

Hey, when I get back, we should get coffee or something.

She waited, hoping she hadn't overstepped her bounds or anything. She was shocked when the phone in her hand began to ring, Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries echoing through the quiet early-morning terminal. She smiled an apology at a young man who was startled awake from his nap.

"Hello?" she said, her heart racing as she had saw that it was Ashley calling.

"Well, I figured if you wanted to meet for coffee, the least I could do first was actually introduce myself to you in person. Well, at least in voice, first."

Spencer grinned. Ashley's voice was soft, husky, yet warm and friendly. She sounded young, but her voice carried the confidence of a mature adult. "I think that may be wise. After all, for all you know I'm just some robot over here, spouting out random text messages to folks."

"Hmm, true. But then I guess since you did give the invite for coffee, I could very well be sitting across from HAL 9000," Ashley said, a hint of teasing in her voice.

Spencer couldn't help but laugh. "Very true. So, why are you goldfish-sitting? That seems like asking a lot of a person."

"Oh, I agree. But, my sister asked, so I must comply. I did tell her, however, that if Grover ends up with Ick, or any other fish-type disease, the vet bill is on her."

Again Spencer laughed. "If this is you grouchy, I'm worried."

"You should be, Spencer. You should be. When I'm not grouchy, I get feisty." There was a short pause. "So, what do you do to be travelling to the City of Angels for work? Or are you moving there?"

"God no! I hate that town. I have to sit in on a table reading for a script," Spencer explained, glancing over through the huge windows to see that their plane had pulled up to the plastic tube. Another look at the clock told her they had twenty minutes until boarding.

"Oh yeah? You write it?" Ashley asked, interest in her voice.

"Yeah. That's what I do for a living." Spencer felt pride fill her at the admission. She always did.

"Wow," Ashley drawled, admiration and surprise in her voice. "That is very cool. Good for you."

"What about you? Oh, wait-" Spencer pulled the phone away from her ear, listening to the announcement made over the loud speaker. Putting the cell back to her ear, she continued. "Hey,

I need to go. They're boarding early."

"Alright. Well, hey, have a safe trip, and give a cute starlet a big kiss for me. Drop me a line when you get home, and you, me and HAL will go have that coffee."

Spencer chuckled. "Okay. Sounds good. Talk to you later." She snapped her phone shut, the grin still on her face as she gathered her carry-on bag.

* * *

The production offices were overly chilled from excessive air conditioning. Spencer was glad she'd worn jeans as she strolled down the long hall, heading toward the open door at the end where she could hear voices. Inside the large room was a long conference table, snacks and drinks set up on another table under the sole window.

Bob Keiser, one of the producers, walked over to her, hand extended. "Hey there, Spencer. Nice to see you again. Everyone should be here soon."

"Great. Thanks."

"Help yourself to anything," he said, waving her off toward the food table. Spencer noticed others had helped themselves already. She knew Bob from previous films, but wasn't sure who anyone else was in the room. She noticed the few folks who were obviously talent starting to amble in and get situated. They were too beautiful to ignore. One thing she loved about her job was the eye candy was like none other.

Two hours later, Spencer had been in deep discussions with both talent and production staff alike. Two hours after that, she was back at her hotel, ready to go home. The beautiful people could do without her.

* * *

Spencer closed her eyes, waiting for the rough flight to be over. She offered up a silent prayer of thanks as the wheels touched down in Denver. The weather had hit them hard and had bounced the huge plane all over the place. Colorado had gotten hit hard with its first snow early. Typically the first snow hit around Halloween, but that was two weeks away.

Making sure her stomach was where she'd put it at LAX, Spencer got herself and her carry-on together, ready to get off the giant bucket of bolts she'd been tethered to for the past three and a half hours. She hated flying, hated it more than anything. She'd considered moving to L.A. to avoid it, but had dropped that thought pretty much as quickly as it had materialized. She loved Denver, and the normal life she pursued.

Finally it was her turn to step into the aisle, listening to the symphony of cell phones being turned on around her. It suddenly made her very sad to realize she had no one who was waiting for her call to make sure she'd gotten home alright, or to meet her at baggage claim. When she thought of that sort of thing, her thoughts immediately went to Kathryn. Their four years together had been rocky from the start, the playing field littered with penalty flags all over the place that neither of them had wanted to see or admit. When it boiled down to it, they'd been wrong for each other. Rather than having the guts or strength to walk away, Kathryn had done the one thing that insured the end of their relationship, and Spencer's hatred: she cheated on her.

Spencer shook herself out of those painful memories and thoughts, surprised they'd reared their ugly head at all. She hadn't thought of Kathryn since… she'd been with Carmen.

Spencer sighed. Perhaps Carmen had been a good diversion after all.

Plugging her very dead cell into the car charger, Spencer headed for home. The chirping of her phone let her know she had missed messages. She hadn't brought her charger with her for the trip, as she was only gone for a couple days, but her battery needed to be replaced, so the phone had quickly died.

Waiting till she was at a traffic light, Spencer grabbed the little phone and flipped it open, looking at her messages. There was only a single text message awaiting her. She smiled when she saw it was from Ashley;

_Undoubtedly ur enjoying a bit of rump bump with some gorgeous starlet. Hope you had fun. Me and HAL are waiting 4 coffee. Have a safe trip back_

Immediately she began to respond to the text:

Rump bump, huh? That's new. Trip was good. Blessedly short. I'll call u 2nite to make arrangements. Flight sucked! Hate flying.

_Someone's grumpy. I look forward to ur call. Gotta go and b a good grl- at work._

Spencer chuckled, amused. She flipped her phone shut, eager to get home.

She dropped her bag on her bed, quickly unpacking it and stuffing the bulk of the contents in the laundry basket. Spencer hated to check in luggage, always a light packer, never taking anything that wasn't necessary. She put her toiletries away, then climbed into the shower, ridding herself of the lag of travelling.

Freshly washed and dressed, Spencer padded downstairs, lighting a fire in the fireplace in the living room then making herself some dinner She looked around her house- yes, it was small and simple, but it was all hers. She had always dreamed of having her own place, decorated in her own tastes and styles. Her living room walls were covered with her impressive collection of swords and daggers, hung professionally and cleaned weekly to keep the steel of the blades healthy and shiny. She knew that if someone ever broke into her place she'd either be in some serious trouble, or they'd run into the night screaming, worried they'd broken into a serial killer's house.

Amused by her own thoughts, she set the pot of noodles and sauce to cooking on the stove top, then headed into the den, booting her desktop up. She stood behind her desk, hands on hips and looked around the small space with a discerning eye. Memorabilia from her films were scattered everywhere: shadow boxes with signed cast pictures and bound scripts, stills from the set, and even some of the actual costumes worn by her characters, adorned the walls and shelves. It was truly her greatest joy to step into this room. Many years of hard work and dedication to her craft had paid off in so many ways.

All in all she was happier than she'd ever been. It was nice to finally find happiness, after a lifetime of running from the shadow of who she was told she was supposed to be, or what she was supposed to do. Her parents had never believed in her dream, so she'd gone her own way, disappointing them time and time again, but ultimately it had worked out for the best: Spencer had moved away from the small, Kansas town she'd grown up in, and therefore their embarrassment was gone, and the blonde lived her own life. A win/win.

The sound of water hitting a hot burner drew her attention back to the kitchen as her noodles began to boil over. She quickly blew on the rising froth, stirring the bubbling sauce with a rubber spatula at the same time.

Soon, she had herself set up in the den, the television on, though she wasn't really watching, as she scrolled through her email, eating fresh, hot pasta at the same time. The ultimate multi-tasker: Spencer's constantly spinning mind grew bored if she didn't occupy it with at least ten different tasks at the same time. It was fairly typical for her to be giving her attention to a movie or television show, working on a screenplay, cleaning house, and tapping away at a novel all at the same time.

Even as she began to perform her fifteen tasks, her eye kept straying to the cell phone perched at the corner of her desk. She had a coffee meeting to arrange.

* * *

**Review and let me know what you think of it so far :o)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:**I do not now own South of Nowhere or anything related to the show, nor this story. Story belongs to Kim Pritekel, all the credit goes to her. She's a fantastic and talented author, and I'm not, by any means, trying to take anything away from her.

**A/N:**Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, I'm glad you're liking this story. Here's another chapter, I hope you guys like it. Enjoy!

**Chapter Two**

The small, locally owned coffee shop was doing a good business, though Spencer was glad to see that many of the patrons were getting their orders to go. She was nervous for some reason, as she walked inside, surreptitiously looking around for the woman who said she'd be wearing a red shirt. Her eyes found various customers seated, either solo or in small groups, but no one in a red shirt. She saw a table with a full coffee cup, and a backpack sitting in the chair, but no one sat there.

She decided to get herself set up with a drink, hoping that by time she got through the long line, Ashley would have arrived. She was the fifth person in line, and standing with her arms crossed over her chest, she kept an eye out.

Finally, with order in hand, Spencer turned to face the tables and chairs. Her breath caught when she saw someone sitting at the table that had seemed to be abandoned. She had long, brown hair and wore a red button-down shirt. The woman was looking down, reading the book that was laid out on the tabletop, her cheek resting in the upturned palm of her left hand. The backpack had been moved to the floor. Spencer's gaze travelled over what she could see, the brunette's build was petit, though it was hard to tell with her sitting down and bent over the table like she was.

Spencer glanced down at herself, wiping a sweating palm on the thigh of her jeans. Tossing her hair back away from her face one last time, she walked over to the table. She rested a hand on the back of the chair in front of her. "Ashley?"

The brunette looked up, dazzling brown eyes meeting Spencer's gaze. In the millisecond she was able to stare, her breath caught. Before her sat one of the most beautiful women she'd ever seen, though Ashley wasn't beautiful in a traditional-sort of way. She was… adorable. Her expression was friendly and open, gorgeous eyes curious.

"If you're looking for the runaway troupe of models, they went that a way," the brunette said, hitching her thumb toward the door.

Spencer blushed, looking away shyly. "Yep, you've got to be Ashley," she said, glancing back at the brunette, who just stared at her. Spencer began to feel slightly uncomfortable from the intense scrutiny. "I, uh. Thanks."

"Yes, I am Ashley. I'm going to step way out on a limb and guess you're Spencer."

"Yep. That I am." Spencer pulled out the chair in front of her and sat down, setting her coffee on the table. She watched as Ashley slapped her book shut, setting it aside, then turned her focus back on the blonde.

"It's good to meet you. I must say, I absolutely hate to text message. It's so much easier to just speak my mind." Ashley's grin was charming, and Spencer found herself grinning back at her.

"I find it was much easier to fight with Carmen over text," she quipped, sipping from her drink, grateful as it chased the chill out of her bones.

"Carmen? As in, the infamous 'C'?" Ashley asked, sipping from her own drink. She sat back in her chair, allowing Spencer a better view of her. She was in fact petit. Her shoulders were narrow, but fitting for her compact frame. What caught Spencer time and again, however, was the brunette's eyes. Not only was the colour beautiful, but they were filled with such life, such alert intelligence. There was also an underlying mischief in them, as though you had to watch or you might find a whoopee cushion on your chair when you weren't looking.

"That would be the one," Spencer said, shaking herself out of her perusing thoughts. She wasn't there on a date with Ashley. They were simply meeting as strangers who had met under strange circumstances. "Speaking of that, listen, I really want to thank you for your concern with that whole ordeal. I mean, hell, even my own mother didn't ask how I was doing."

Ashley gave her a soft, understanding smile. "No problem. I felt bad for you. I know it was really tough for me when Caitlin and I split up. I mean, now, in retrospect, I see it was the best thing to ever happen to me, but at the time…"

"How long were you together?"

"Six years. My first and thus far, only, long-term relationship."

Spencer studied Ashley. "How old are you? You look young to have been in such a long relationship, and then you said you guys parted two years ago, right?"

Ashley nodded, pushing her now-empty cup aside. She grinned. "We got together kinda young. I'm 25."

"High school romance?" Spencer asked, doing the math in her head.

The brunette chuckled. "Something like that. How old are you?"

Spencer sigh dramatically. "Next year I enter a brand new decade." Her blue eyes flicked up to see Ashley's amused expression. "And I'm not happy about it."

"Well, you certainly don't look 40, and you don't look 19 or 9, so I'm going to have to guess you'll be 30?" She reached out, fingers absently playing with the handle of her ceramic mug.

"What? I don't look like I'm turning 20?!" Spencer gasped, making her companion laugh. "Yes. I'll be 30."

"Be proud, Spencer. Sounds like you've accomplished a lot in three decades. Tell me about your writing. I think that's fascinating, especially since I can't write my name without it sounding boring."

Spencer smirked. "If you can make your name interesting in a signature, then I want your secret and thank you. I love what I do."

"So, your screenplays have actually been made into films? Like, real films?" Ashley asked, head tilted slightly in curiosity. At Spencer's nod, the brunette slapped her palms on the wood tabletop.

"Then there's only one thing we can do."

Confused, Spencer looked at her. "What?"

"I want to go to Blockbuster right now, rent each and every one, and I want you sitting there next to me, telling me how accurate they are to your original vision, and you can give me the gory, behind-the-scene details."

Spencer stared at her, blinking a few times. "Are you serious?"

"Quite." Ashley's grin was huge, and completely adorable.

"Alright," Spencer said slowly. She watched as the blonde pushed back from the table, grabbing her backpack and setting it in her abandoned chair. She shoved the book she'd been reading into one of the compartments, then zipped it shut. When Ashley stood, Spencer noticed that she wore faded blue jeans, and that the brunette looked better in jeans than anyone she'd ever seen.

"You coming?" Ashley said, shaking Spencer out of her reverie.

Nodding, the blonde stood, grabbing her keys. "Your place or mine?" she asked innocently, but blushed slightly when she saw the rakish grin on Ashley's face.

"Must say, haven't been asked that in awhile."

"Uh… yeah," Spencer said, feeling somewhat sheepish. She grinned. "Well, I live over by Palman's Park. How close are you?"

"About seven blocks. I live over on Ronstadt."

"Alright. Well," Spencer said, rocking on her heels. "We still need to hit the video store, so…"

"Why don't you come with me? Leave your car here, and then either I can drop you back off here to get it after, or after we get the movies. I just don't see any reason to take a caravan around town." Ashley's grin convinced Spencer. She nodded.

"Good plan."

* * *

Spencer found it a bit surreal that she was standing in the middle of a virtual stranger's living room, waiting for her hostess to come back with a bowl of popcorn and drinks. They'd been able to find two of her films at the video store, one still in the theatres and the fourth- her first- a bit more obscure.

Looking around the cute little apartment, she noticed that Ashley loved to read, bookshelves filling one entire wall. An acoustic guitar sat in the corner on its stand. The furniture was nice, but Spencer guessed it had been bought at a second-hand store, or given to the brunette. Framed pictures littered the walls of various scenic scapes, as well as a popular movie poster or two. Overall the place was well-kept, yet very much lived in. It casual and comfortable, exactly how the writer felt about the woman in the other room.

"Here we go," Ashley said, balancing a large bowl of fragrant popcorn and two glasses filled with ice and soda in the other. Spencer quickly took the bowl from her, getting a grateful smile from her new friend. "I, for one am extremely excited to see these movies," Ashley said, walking over to the DVD player and getting everything set up. She held up the two movie boxes, brow raised in question.

"Well, do you want to cry or cringe, holding on the edge of your seat?" Spencer asked, a slight smirk on her face.

Ashley looked at the two boxes quizzically, tucking her bottom lip under her front teeth. "Hmm. Well, I guess I'll cringe first, and then cry. I figure, if the first one scares me, the second one can take my mind off it."

"Smart girl. Then you'll want to put Lightning Project in first."

Ashley nodded, doing as requested, then joined Spencer on the couch. They settled in, ignoring the FBI Warning screens, then the previews for films that both had already seen. "Do you like what you do?" Ashley asked, indicating the TV.

"Love it." Dark brows drew. "What do you do, anyway?"

"I'm a student. Working on my doctorate in Anthropology."

"Really?" Spencer asked, intrigued. At the brunette's nod, she grinned. "That's fantastic. I'll have to pick your brain sometime. I'm always interested in history and the psychology of it."

"Oh yeah? You gonna write a movie about an anthropologist?" Ashley asked, grabbing a handful of popcorn.

"I just might."

Their attention was grabbed when the feature presentation was announced. Ashley sat forward on her cushion, reading the opening credits. When she saw

Written By: Spencer Carlin, she grabbed the blonde's wallet, which sat on the coffee table by her keys. She flipped it open, peering at Spencers's driver's license. Turning to the writer, she grinned. "Holy shit, that really is you!"

Spencer grinned, snatching her wallet from the brunette's hands. "Did you think I lied to you?"

Ashley shook her head, twinkling brown eyes locked onto Spencer. "Wow," she drawled. "I've never met a famous person before."

"And you're not, now," Spencer insisted, embarrassed. "Watch the movie." She was surprised to feel a soft hand on her arm. When she glanced over at Ashley, she saw the softest, sweetest smile.

"I think it's fantastic," the brunette said softly. "Really cool. Congratulations for finding your heart's passion. Very few do, and even less follow it."

Spencer was stunned by the words, feeling herself blush slightly as she looked away. Finally, after clearing her throat, she looked at the other woman. "Thank you. That really means a lot."

Ashley studied her for a long moment, brown eyes seeming to look into her very soul. "You don't hear that very often, do you?"

Spencer shrugged, feeling a bit shy. "I don't do it for praise, Ashley."

Ashley, who still had her hand on Spencer's arm, squeezed lightly, then turned back to the TV, finally releasing Spencer's gaze. The blonde felt lightheaded for a moment, so lost in the brown eyes she'd gotten. She also turned her attention back to the TV, curious to see what Ashley's reaction would be.

Ashley watched, on the edge of her seat, as the psychological thriller played out. She was riveted, even forgetting about her drink until it was a glass of watery Pepsi. She laughed, she cringed, and even got choked up a time or two before the film was over. As the ending credits rolled, she glanced over at the silent blonde, who eyed her nervously. The smile that spread across Ashley's face returned Spencer's ability to breathe.

"That was amazing, Spencer. You had ugly guys, cute chicks, lots action, and kept me guessing. Nicely done."

Spencer grinned. "Glad you approve."

"Oh, I more than approve."

From the twinkle in Ashley's eyes, Spencer felt a bit of warmth spread through her stomach. She shook it off, aiming the comment at the film they had just watched. "I was a bit surprised by certain elements, but overall, they did my vision justice." She finished the rest of her drink, setting the cup down on the coaster and slapping her hands on her thighs. "Well! Are you ready for round two? Gotta warn you- this one will make you cry, unless you don't have a heart."

"Oh yeah? Care to tell me why?"

"Nope." Spencer grinned, wiggling her brows.

"Mutter, mutter, hiss, hiss. Give me that." Ashley grabbed both their glasses and the nearly empty bowl of popcorn, and walked into the small, hallway-like kitchen. She returned within a few moments with fresh drinks. "Here. Drink and be quiet."

Spencer grinned, taking the glass.

Two hours later, Ashley had herself curled up, arms wrapped around her shins, chin resting on her knees and her eyes were swollen and red. She'd been silently crying for the last forty-five minutes of the film, which made Spencer feel horrible. She wasn't sure what to do. She wanted to reach out to Ashley, to cuddle her and tell her it was okay, but sat there frozen.

Ashley glanced over at her as the ending credits rolled. She looked something between completely pathetic- eyes red and swollen, nose running-, and completely adorable and vulnerable. "They say write what you know," she said quietly, "Please tell me you didn't experience that," she pointed toward the TV screen.

I gave her a brave smile and shook my head. "Not completely, no."

Spencer was nearly bowled over as she suddenly found herself with an armful of crying Ashley in her arms. She held her, rocking her gently, whispering nonsense into her ear. After a few moments, Ashley calmed, but didn't move away from her. She rested her head on Spencer's chest, her fingers playing in the soft material of the blonde's shirt. "Tell me where the inspiration for that film came from. What would make you kill the main character like that? Not give them a chance at love and happiness."

Spencer sighed, forcing her mind back to a time that still hurt, nearly ten years later. "When I was 20, I fell in love with a woman for the first time. She was my best friend, and we were inseparable. It was because of my love for her that I realized I was gay. She toyed with my head for two long years, but I couldn't walk away. I really loved her. She had my heart, my soul, but didn't want my body. Finally she left, taking an internship out of the state, and came by to say goodbye. We knew it was goodbye for good. She hugged me, resting her head on my shoulder like she always did. We must have stood there for more than ten minutes. Finally," Spencer sighed, fighting her own emotions. "she left. I was utterly heartbroken. I needed to vent, so I wrote a short story about it, then a novel, then a screenplay."

"What did Tonya's death signify?" Ashley asked, referring to the death of one of the characters in the film.

"A couple of things. The day Sheila drove out of my life a part of me died. My innocence, for sure. I think Tonya dying signified both." Spencer rested her cheek against soft, brown hair, amazed at just how comfortable she felt with Ashley in her arms. Almost too comfortable.

Ashley could hear the solid heartbeat beneath her head, the warmth of Spencers arms. She knew she should move away, but was having a hard time doing that. "I haven't been held like this in more than a year," she said softly, surprised the words had escaped her lips. She couldn't bring herself to feel shame, though.

Spencer was surprised by the words, and then deeply saddened. "Why? That's a really long time."

"Guess after everything with Caitlin, I just needed to heal. In the first year after everything fell apart I dated. No, that's not true. I fucked women, and then realized that it made me feel even more empty than I did before. See, the end of my relationship with Leslie totally shattered me. When I went to put myself back together again, the pieces just didn't fit anymore. I've spent the last year trying to figure out just how the puzzle works. You know?"

Spencer thought about the words for a long moment, then nodded. "I understand perfectly. I couldn't have said it better, in fact. Over the past week since I broke things off with Carmen, I've realized that I did her a complete injustice. I was with her because I was lonely. How terrible is that?"

"Not as bad as you might think." Ashley sighed and pulled reluctantly away from the beautiful blonde, who had taken her breath away when she'd first saw her at the coffee shop. She noticed the wet stain on Spencer's shirt and grimaced. "Shit, I'm sorry."

Spencer looked down, then shrugged, trying to make the brunette feel better. "Don't worry about it. I see it as a badge of honour for making you feel."

"That you did, Spencer. That you did." At that the brunette yawned loudly. "Sorry. I had an early day today, and have another one tomorrow."

"Oh!" Spencer jumped to her feet, grabbing her glass and taking it into the kitchen, setting it inside the sink. "I'm sorry," she said, walking back into the living room. "I forget about that evil 'w' work," she smirked, earning a glare from her new friend.

"Ha ha." Ashley stood and walked over to Spencer, opening her arms. When Spencer stepped into the hug, she held the brunette tight for a few moments, then, reluctantly, pulled away. "Thank you for a really great evening, Spencer. You're a hoot." She grinned, which made her brown eyes sparkle, nearly dazzling Spencer.

"Right back at ya. Want me to drop those off on my way home?" she asked, nodding toward the two videos. Ashley shook her head.

"No. I think I'll watch them again before I return them."

"Okay," Spencer said, feeling somewhat sheepish. She could have strangers galore read or watch her work, and it never made her even think twice. But when someone she knew did, it always made her feel uneasy.

"So, what do you say we skip the Bucket of the Dejected meeting this coming week, and hang

out instead?" Ashley asked, pulling the blonde from her nervous stupor.

"Yeah. I'd like that." Spencer said. "As payback, how about we scour any old photo albums you may have, and I get to ask any and all questions about your most embarrassing moments?"

Spencer's grin eased Ashley's sudden worry. She saw the blonde nod toward the two films, and got the picture. Literally. Crossing her arms over her chest, she cocked her head, almost cockily, she said, "Yeah, maybe. Or maybe I'll get my hands on that first film of yours, and delve even deeper into your psyche."

Spencer chuckled, grabbing her jacket. "Good luck with that. Call me and let me know when you're free."

Ashley walked the blonde to the door of her small apartment, watching for a moment as the taller woman skipped down the stairs to the lower floor, then closed and locked her door, a grin on her face.

Spencer's grin was equally wide as she drove home, but it quickly vanished. She mentally chastised herself for allowing her thoughts to go anywhere beyond a new friend with Ashley. She'd just broken up with Carmen, for crying out loud! Her heart couldn't stand anymore hurt. She wasn't the type that went from one woman to the next, needing time to think things through, and allow her emotions to mend. Granted, she hadn't given Carmen much thought since that day in the park, but still…

"No," she muttered to herself, shaking her head for emphasis. "Ashley is nice. She's funny. She's cute as hell. But," she held up a finger, "she's just a new friend. Nothing more. She can't be anything more."

* * *

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	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:**I do not now own South of Nowhere or anything related to the show, nor this story. Story belongs to Kim Pritekel, all the credit goes to her. She's a fantastic and talented author, and I'm not, by any means, trying to take anything away from her.

**A/N:**Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, I'm glad you're liking this story. Here's another chapter, I hope you guys like it, and just to let you guys know, the next chapter is going to be that last. Enjoy!

**Chapter Three**

Spencer's fingers flew over the keys, the music of Sarah Brightman faded into the background. The popping of the fireplace faded in the background. The ringing of her cell phone faded into the background.

"Shit!" The blonde pulled herself out of her writing zone and the pause button on her stereo, grabbing her cell. She looked at the display screen and couldn't stop the goofy grin that spread when she saw Ashley's name and number. It had been just over a week since their first meeting, and impromptu movie-watching night. They'd text messaged off and on, but had not spoken. Until now. "What?" Spencer exclaimed, adding a little faked annoyance into her voice. She'd never met anyone that she felt so comfortable with immediately, comfortable enough to tease.

After a small pause, Ashley spoke. "I'm guessing that either you're PMSing pretty bad, and are craving chocolate but don't have any, or I'm interrupting a major creationfest."

Spencer was surprised by the words. "You're good. I am writing, but you're not interrupting. Well, technically you are, but I don't mind," Spencer grinned into the phone.

"I see. That's an interestingly contradictory statement."

Spencer chuckled. "I guess it is. What are you up to?"

"Well, I just got home from an exhaustive day teaching Freshman anthro. I was thinking about maybe getting something to eat. Wondered if you're interested in joining me."

Spencer glanced at her computer screen, noting where she was in the script. She had plenty of time as her deadline wasn't until the end of the month- a week away. She'd have the work done by tomorrow at the latest. "Sure. Sounds good."

"Great!"

* * *

They made plans to meet at a local diner that served the best hamburgers in the state. Spencer arrived first, and got them a table near the window so she could see her friend coming, which she did, and waved to a frazzled-looking Ashley.

"Hey," the brunette said, sliding into the booth across from Spencer.

"Hey, yourself. Looks like you had a rough one."

Ashley shrugged as she unwound her scarf from around her neck then slid her heavy coat from her arms. A form-fitting, thin sweat lay beneath outlining her torso nicely. Spencer could tell her arms and shoulders were also nicely muscled. "Freshman- can't live without 'em, can't kill 'em."

Spencer smirked, glancing up at the waitress that joined them. They each placed their orders, then the blonde turned back to the woman sitting across from her. "What do you want to do with your doctorate once you've got it?"

"Continue doing what I'm doing," Ashley said easily, her brown eyes nearly glowing from inside at the subject. "I love standing up there, lecturing about the people of Papua, New Guinea and their yams. Or I love to talk about the sewers that were found in Jerusalem from the Crusades, and what was found in the now-powdered feces- the types of bugs they had. The types of foods they ate, and what it says about their cultures…" Ashley trailed off, realizing she was beginning to lecture. She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry." Ashley grabbed the glass of iced tea that was set before her.

"Don't you dare apologize. It's something you obviously are passionate about. I love that kind of passion in people. Tell me all that you want. I will happily listen."

Ashley eyed her, uncertainty filling her eyes. "Are you sure? I don't want to bore-"

"Please," Spencer said, surprising herself when she realized that her hand had reached out across the table, covering the brunette's. She quickly removed it, instead wrapping it around her sweating glass of Coke.

"Alright. But remember," Ashley said, pointing a finger at the blonde, "you asked for it."

Their dinner arrived, Ashley's ongoing lecture never even slowing down, even as she prepared her cheeseburger. Spencer listened, absolutely enthralled by the information she was learning, as well as by Ashley's passion for her subject. As she had noted before, Ashley glowed from the inside. Her eyes were wide and expressive, her hands gesticulating emphatically at different points. The blonde was amused, as well as enthralled, and could only imagine what a wonderful teacher Ashley must be.

Suddenly Ashley stopped, grinning sheepishly. "See? Give me an inch, and I'll give you a semester." She was quiet for a moment as she munched a fry.

"I, for one, found it fascinating."

"Really?" Ashley asked, almost shy.

"Yes. Really."

They were quiet for a moment, both absorbing the conversation of the past forty minutes and finishing off their dinners. Finally brown eyes met blue. "So, I watched your movies again before I took them back." Her gaze was frank and candid. Spencer could see the genuine soul behind them. "You're extremely talented, Spencer."

"I appreciate that, but honestly, the credit goes to the director and actors. They're the ones who bring it all to life."

"That may be, but the words and heart come from you. And now meeting you and talking to you, I can see it in your eyes. You watch the world, don't you? Absorbing it, contemplating it. You have a really intense gaze that is almost disconcerting," Ashley finished, popping a fry into her mouth, eyes never leaving Spencer's.

The blonde felt somewhat uncomfortable under the steady verdant gaze. She'd been told before that she could sometimes make people uncomfortable with the way she studied people- their faces, their bodies, their mannerisms and actions. The way they talked or ate. But she had to admit, Ashley had her beat. The observant, intelligent eyes of her dinner companion made her feel both studied and cared for. And she would put good money on the fact that Ashley missed nothing.

"So," Spencer said, watching as the waitress took away their waitress cleared away their dishes, "tell me more. Where are you from? What about your family? Parents? Siblings?"

Spencer listened as Ashley filled her in: born in Pittsburgh, raised in Duluth and moved to Colorado to go to school. She had never left. Her parents were divorced, but she was still close to her father. Her mother had a new life with a new husband and a new kid, now 12. Spencer could tell there was some bitter blood there, but didn't poke too hard.

"So, what happened between you and your family?" Ashley asked. At the surprised look on the blonde's face, she explained. "When you asked about my family, you nearly spit the word out like you'd eaten a bug."

Spencer grinned, looking down at the cup of after dinner coffee she'd ordered during Ashley's tale. "Very perceptive. My family and I don't talk. They don't agree with my lifestyle, or what I've chosen to do as a career, I don't agree with their pigheadedness. End of story. So, unfortunately the word 'family' doesn't have a great deal of meaning for me."

"What about friends? I mean, have you made your own little 'family' here?"

"Not really." Spencer sat back in her chair with a sigh. She grabbed her cell phone, flipping it open and to the contact list in her address book. She showed the screen to the brunette. "The majority of those are business contacts."

Ashley snatched the phone from her friend, scrolling. "I think there are exactly three people in here with a Colorado area code."

"Yup. Sad, huh?"

"No," Ashley said, looking through the various numbers. "Just very curious. And I do have to wonder- Jodi. Cameron. Kate." brown eyes glanced up suspiciously. "Anyone I'd like to know?"

Spencer grinned shyly, remembering her time on set with each actress. "No one I can introduce you to."

Ashley slapped the phone shut handing it over to the brunette. "You're really adorable when you blush, you know that?" she said. This, of course, made Spencer blush worse. Ashley laughed. "I don't get it. You are by far one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen in person, yet you act like you've been a wall flower all your life. You're so shy."

"I have been a wall flower all my life," Spencer said. "And I am shy. Horribly shy."

Ashley studied her for a moment, head slightly cocked to the side. "Why is that?"

"I don't know. I just am. Guess I've spent the majority of my life watching people, and not really joining in. I'm just not very social."

"You're social with me," Ashley countered.

Spencer chuckled. "One on one I do okay. Anything more," she waved it off, "not so good."

"Well then," Ashley said slapping her palm on the table, "we'll keep it simple then. Just the two of us. How's that? Oh, however," Ashley said with a grin. "I was invited to a Halloween party, and I'd like it if you went with me. You up for that, Miss Wall Flower?"

"I think I can manage. After all, it is for only one night."

* * *

Over the next few days, Spencer couldn't get her mind off Ashley. She was amazed at how comfortable she felt with the brunette, and just how well they got along. Ashley was funny, highly intelligent, cute as hell, and just… intriguing. She tried to push the scholar out of her mind, but couldn't, which made her nervous. She had just gotten out of a bad relationship, which had followed an even worse one, and knew she was in no place mentally or emotionally to be considering something new. If, that would even be something Ashley would be interested in.

Spencer waved the idea off with a wave of her hand. "Stupid," she laughed, turning back to her computer screen. Even so, the image and thoughts persisted.

Hey. In a bit of a quandary- I wanna spend time w u, but have work 2 do 2.

Spencer didn't have to wait long for her response.

_Hey! U had just stomped in 2 my thoughts as I'm researching. I have a solution 2 ur quandary. _

_Either you bring laptop here and work while I study, or I bring my books there while u write. _

_Cool?_

Spencer grinned, nodding to herself as she chewed on her bottom lip and responded.

1052 Palman Park Dr.

_Gimme 15._

U got it.

Spencer was ridiculously happy as she slapped her phone shut. She jumped up from her computer and raced around her house, making sure everything was clean and put away. She was a rather anal housekeeper, so there wasn't much to do, but had to make sure. She started a pot of coffee, as it was a particularly bitter night out. She'd gone out for her run earlier in the day and had nearly frozen to death before she'd warmed up during the exertion.

Back in her den, she cleared off the couch, making sure Ashley had plenty of room should she want to stretch out there with her books. The blonde fought a sense of giddiness as the minutes seemed to drag on. Finally, she heard a firm knock at her front door. Grinning ear to ear, Spencer hurried to the living room and front door, yanking it open. She was shocked to see Carmen standing on her porch.

"Hey," Carmen said quietly, almost coy. Spencer stared. "Are you going to let me in, or do I get to stand out here and freeze as more of my penance?"

"I hadn't realized you were doing penance," Spencer quipped, stepping back. She watched as her ex walked in, snowy footprints following her across the carpet. The blonde rolled her eyes. She always hated what a mess Carmen made. "Could you at the very least stomp your boots clean?"

Carmen smirked. "Some things never change," she muttered, walking back to the entryway and wiping her boots clean.

"Look, I'm expecting a friend, so…."

"Already?" Carmen asked, brown eyes twinkling. "Gosh, I figure you would wait at the very least a couple months."

Spencer could feel her anger beginning to boil. "Carmen, I don't want your games. Please just leave."

"I want to talk. I won't stay long so I don't ruin your evening, though that would account for the huge grin you were wearing when you answered the door. I don't ever recall a smile like that for me."

Spencer felt uncomfortable under the intense scrutiny of her ex. She had nothing to say to that, nor any defence, as she knew it was true. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Us. I want another chance. Or at the very least to be able to defend myself," Carmen said, arms crossed over her jacket-clad chest.

"Against what? You cheated. End of story."

"Isn't that the truth," Carmen snorted. "Everything with you is a story, isn't it? Or at least your fucking career."

Spencer stared at her, surprised at the outburst.

"You say I cheated, but honestly, Spencer? Your fucking writing got in the way far more, and far

sooner than anything I may have done. I could never get you to step away from that fucking computer for more than two minutes and spend time with me. I could never get you to concentrate on me and on our relationship. No, no! You always wanted to talk about your stupid plotline or stupid characters!"

Spencer was frozen, anger and shock warring with each other. She could feel her jaw muscles tightening, her arms hugging herself, almost as if to protect herself from the verbal blows.

"So, you can stand there and look righteous all you want. But when it boils down to it,

you made me look somewhere else because I wanted and needed from home, sure as hell wasn't coming from you!"

Anger won out. Through clenched teeth, Spencer said, "I want you out of my house."

Their silent stand off was interrupted by a knock at the door. Spencer walked past Carmen, yanking the door open. Ashley, looking somewhat unsure, stood on the other side, clutching her heavy backpack with one hand.

"Uh, hi," the brunette said. "Should I…"

"No. Come in. Please." Spencer stood back, allowing her new friend to enter. She noted with a silent smirk that Ashley immediately took her boots off, setting them off on the rug set out for that purpose.

Carmen turned to observe the new addition, taking in Ashley from face to socked feet. "So, you're Spencer's new friend, huh?" she said with a smirk.

"I'm Ashley. And you are?" Ashley asked, holding out her hand. It was taken in a gloved one.

"Carmen. I'm Spencer's girlfriend."

Spencer watched, fascinated as she saw Ashley's brown eyes darken with what seemed to be anger. "I've heard a lot about you," the brunette said, ice dripping from what would otherwise seem a warm voice.

"Strange. She never mentioned you." Carmen turned back to Spencer. "This conversation isn't over. I have more I want to talk to you about."

"It'll have to wait for some time, Carmen. As far as I'm concerned, it ended the day you fucked someone else." Spencer tossed an apologetic look over at Ashley, who still stood in the entryway. The brunette gave her an understanding smile.

Carmen tried to stare Spencer down, but it didn't work. The brunette walked over to the door and held it open with obvious intent. Carmen cleared her throat and stood tall as she walked past the other brunette, nearly shouldering her out of the way, and stepped out into the cold night.

Slamming the door shut and locking it, Spencer rested her forehead against the cool wood for a moment before sighing and turning to her friend. "I'm really sorry you had to see that. She just showed up."

"Don't worry about it, Spencer," Ashley said gently. "Been there, done that. She seems as though she's still… angry."

"Yeah, something like that. Come on." Spencer led Ashley to the den so she could drop off her backpack, then to the kitchen. "I made coffee. Want some? Or would you prefer hot cocoa?"

"No, coffee's fine." Ashley looked around the nice house as they passed through the living room. She admired the fireplace, which burned merrily. She'd always wanted a fireplace. Something so comforting, yet sexy about them. In the kitchen she leaned against the counter, watching as Spencer expertly poured two cups of steaming brew, handing one over.

"Cream is in the fridge, top shelf. Do you use sugar?" At Ashley's nod, Spencer grabbed it from the cabinet above her head, sliding a clean spoon over to her friend. They prepared their coffee in silence before Ashley spoke.

"Do you want to talk about it, Spencer?" She palmed the warm mug, sipping from the coffee, delighting in the way it warmed her frigid body up from the inside.

Spencer sighed. Did she? "You know," she said with a small smile, looking into the liquid of her cup. "There are times in life where you can't help but think, 'what the hell was I thinking?'. You know? Carmen is one of those. I really think that I was lonely after everything with Kathryn, and allowed myself to get wrapped up in her crazy little world." She sighed. "I do, however, fear that what she said is true." She still couldn't look at Ashley, afraid that somehow the brunette wouldn't want to be friends with her anymore after witnessing the drama that was Carmen.

"What's true? Which part?" Ashley gave her a sheepish grin. "I um, I could hear her from outside on the porch."

Spencer squeezed her eyes shut. "Shit."

"Hey," Spencer started when she felt a warm touch on her shoulder. She managed to meet the understanding brown eyes. "How many relationships and friendships do you think have been ruined because of my school? Nothing comes before it."

Spencer smiled, meeting her gaze. "I thought I was the only fuck up."

Ashley set her coffee down, taking the cup out of Spencer's hands. She shook her head as she took the blonde into a tight, warm hug, resting her head on the taller woman's shoulder. "Far from it."

Spencer's eyes slid shut as she wrapped her arms around Ashley, sighing quietly into the much-needed contact. "I don't know what to do about it," she said softly. "Most people have their careers- they go to work, deal with a lot of shit, come home and can forget about it, leave it at the door, or at the terminal when they fly off for a Hawaiian vacation. I can't do that, Ashley." Her voice had grown softer with each word until she was almost whispering. "It's with me always, the need to create."

"And that's just part of what makes you such a an amazing person," Ashley said, gently stroking Spencer's back. "If someone can't understand and respect that about you, understand and respect your passion, then they're very wrong for you." Ashley turned her head so her face was almost buried in Spencer's neck. She closed her eyes, inhaling the scent that she was becoming to recognize as Spencer. She couldn't help but curse the women who had their chance with the beautiful blonde, but had let her go.

Spencer said nothing more, just relished the feel of Ashley's warmth, the incredibly comforting nature of the brunette took her breath away. She couldn't imagine winning the brunette's heart, then giving it back, as Caitlin had done. She wondered what sort of brain damage the fool had suffered.

At length, Ashley pulled away, a soft smile on her face. "Are you okay?" At Spencer's nod, the brunette grabbed both coffee cups then headed for the den. "Come on. Let's get some work done."

Two hours later, Spencer took her fingers from the keyboard, flexing them and glanced over at her silent companion. They'd put on some music, and both had dived into their separate projects. It had been some of the most amazing two hours of the blonde's life. She loved having Ashley so near, the brunette completely absorbed in her studies, books and notebooks spread out over the length of the couch. She watched, amused, as Ashley absently chewed her way along a pen cap as she read over a large text.

"Would you care for some real food so you don't get toxins from plastic?" the blonde asked, rising to her feet and stretching her aching arms and back. Startled brown eyes glanced up at her, making Spencer chuckle. "Sorry to interrupt you."

"No," Ashley said, groaning as she got to her own feet, setting the book aside. "God I get so lost in it," she murmured, stretching her own back.

Spencer smirked. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Ashley chuckled as she followed her friend to the kitchen. "Uh huh."

Spencer quickly prepared a couple sandwiches, brushing off Ashley's offer to help. "Just sit back and relax. Tell me what you're reading about."

Once again Spencer found herself engrossed in what Ashley had to say, the brunette's smooth voice washing over her. Ashley made history and her theories seem like she was telling a story, which made it interesting and kept Spencer rivetted. Finally, sandwiches made, and Ashley's tale finished, they sat at the kitchen table, food and drink in front of both. Spencer glanced over at her companion.

"Why aren't you dating anyone?" she asked, sandwich halfway to her mouth. "That is, you're not… right?" The look of surprise on her face at her own question made Ashley grin slightly. Spencer looked down, thoroughly embarrassed. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry? It's a perfectly harmless question." Ashley had been thrilled at the question, but then her hopes had been dashed by Spencer's reaction to the question, which had obviously taken her by surprise, even though she was the one asking it. "I don't know,"Ashley said, picking at her sandwich. "I dated off and on after the joke that was Caitlin. But," she shrugged, unable to meet Spencer's gaze. Her shyness caught the blonde by surprise, as it didn't seem to be business as usual for Ashley. "I think at first I was afraid, you know? Not wanting to open myself up like that again. Then it became something more." She finally met understanding blue eyes. "I think I just got lazy or lax. It was just easier to not deal with it, and just go to work and school everyday."

Spencer nodded, completely understanding. "You're stronger than I am, Ashley. I dealt with one of the worst relationships, with someone who was so wrong for me for nine months. I knew Carmen was about as opposite of what I wanted as anyone. Who knows," she sighed, sitting back in her chair. "Maybe I stayed for the same reasons- lazy and lax, didn't want to have to deal with it. If I was in a bad relationship, I wouldn't have to worry about finding a right one, and putting my heart out there again."

"Makes perfect sense." Ashley smiled somewhat sadly, then began to eat her dinner. As she chewed, she considered the woman sitting across from her, and once again felt sadness wash through her. Spencer was everything that Ashley could have dreamed of for herself: she was intelligent, creative, kind, beautiful, had a body to die for… But, alas, she worried that perhaps Spencer's heart was still not healed from Carmen. More than her heart, perhaps her psyche. With a sigh, Ashley continued to eat.

* * *

**Review :o)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:**I do not now own South of Nowhere or anything related to the show, nor this story. Story belongs to Kim Pritekel, all the credit goes to her. She's a fantastic and talented author, and I'm not, by any means, trying to take anything away from her.

**A/N:**Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, I'm glad you all liked this story. Here's the last chapter, I hope you guys like it! Enjoy!

**Warning:** This chapter is Rated-M for sexual content. Read at own risk.

**Chapter Four**

Halloween night had come quickly, and Spencer was a little nervous. Not only did she have to come up with a costume, but she had to wear it in public with a party-full of people she'd never met. Ashley had a late class, so she was going to meet her there, and change in her friend's bathroom.

Spencer stood in her bedroom, looking at herself in the full-length mirror. She allowed her critical gaze to roam up and down her body: tight, black leather pants with black motorcycle boots. A black leather vest, with no shirt underneath, made Spencer want to cross her arms over her chest self-consciously. She left her hair down, letting it flow around her face and shoulders, running her fingers through it to give it a more wild, windblown look. The leather motorcycle jacket and black sunglasses would finish off the look.

She had struggled with what to dress up as, tossing the idea of not dressing up over and over again in her head, but she didn't want to disappoint Ashley. She had spoken with the few she called friends, and some had suggested going as something as simple as an M&M, which didn't sound right. But her friend, a noted actress, had actually flown into town, grabbed Spencer by the hand and drug her to shop for a "hot" costume.

Now, looking at herself, the writer wasn't so sure. Yes, she thought she was a fairly attractive woman, but never took compliments seriously from anyone. But, her friend had insisted that she was a knockout in the all-leather outfit, so, with a resigned sigh, Spencer had agreed.

"Biker chick," she blew out. "Okay. I guess I can be… tough, for a night."

Spencer glanced down at the piece of paper where she'd written the address Ashley had given her. Matching it with the house she was parked in front of, she turned off her car, and took a deep breath. Looking around, she didn't see Ashley's car among the gathered crowd. She knew it was ridiculous to wait for the brunette, so she decided to head on in.

The private home was jumping, music blaring out into the night whenever the front door was opened, along with laughter and loud conversation. Spencer made her way up the front walk, let into the house when a young man reached the door at the same time. She grinned, looking at his rendition of Jim Morrison for a costume.

"Great leathers," he said, but quickly disappeared once they were inside the house.

The furniture had all but been removed, leaving plenty of room for large, bulky costumes, or dancing. A lone couch was against the far wall, a couple sitting on it, seemingly in a deep conversation. A table was set up against the right-hand wall, bottles of various types of alcohol lined up, along with a cooler of ice, and large towers of plastic cups.

"Hi!" Papa Smurf said, a huge, blue grin on his face. "Welcome to my home and party.

"Uh, hi." Spencer smiled, amused by the outfit, seeing images of her childhood flash before her eyes. It took sheer willpower to not ask where Gargamel was. "I'm Spencer. A friend of Ashley's."

"Ah, yes," the Smurf grinned, charming dimples winking at her. "Well, if you see her, tell her to come see me."

"Okay. Will do."

"Get yourself a drink, Spencer!" the man said over his shoulder, then disappeared into the crowd of happy party-goers.

Blue eyes kept an eye out for her brunette friend as she poured herself some wine, nursing it mainly to give her hands something to hold onto rather than wanting anything to drink. Various people tried to talk to engage her in conversation, which she was fine with. She did, however, decline the dance invitations.

* * *

Ashley hopped across the street as she tugged her second boot on. Making sure the pants were tucked inside, she straightened and hurried out of the way of a passing car. Dressed like a motorcycle cop, replete with gold and blue helmet and fake gun holstered at her hip, she hurried into the house. She was later than she had intended to be, and hoped that Spencer was okay. She knew how shy the gorgeous blonde was, and also knew how crazy her friends could be.

Scanning the various faces- some familiar, others not, and others impossible to tell if it was man or woman because of the makeup or mask, Ashley sought out her friend. Heading into the game room, which was basically lit only by the light from the pinball machine, she spotted her. Spencer was the only person in the room, and was unmistakable. Ashley stopped dead in her tracks, her breath caught in her throat. She saw the long legs, heavily muscled from a daily running routine, encased in tight leather. Her ass was perfection, as were her shoulders, which were seen with the black leather vest. A black leather motorcycle jacket was placed on a nearby chair.

Ashley tried to bring much-needed air into her lungs, her heart racing, sex pulsing with sudden want and need. She knew she was attracted to the writer, on many levels, but she'd never had such a visceral reaction to her or anyone. Not even when she was about to have sex.

All thought flying out of her head, Ashley acted on pure instinct. She strode into the room quietly, stepping up to within an inch behind Spencer. She could feel the blonde's body heat radiating off her. "Freeze," she said, intending to be playful, but her voice came out husky. Her hands rested on Spencer's hips, pressing their bodies together. She felt the taller woman stiffen for a moment, then Spencer turned, looking down at the "policewoman" standing in front of her. She caught the twinkling brown eyes, so familiar to her, but tonight there was something else inside them. A heavy desire.

Without thinking, Spencer removed Ashley's motorcycle helmet, smiling faintly at the crazy brunette hair that appeared. She felt a firm touch at the back of her neck, and Ashley pulling her down until their lips met. The kiss was deep and passionate instantly, Ashley pushing the taller woman back against the pinball machine. One hand buried itself into thick, dark hair, the other grabbing a trim hip, pulling Spencer's body roughly against her own.

Spencer's body was on fire, her hands buried in short, brunette hair as her mouth was devoured. Somewhere inside her head warning bells were going off, but her body ignored them, the craving for Ashley too much.

"Hey, Ashley. Whoa!"

Spencer pulled away from the brunette, completely embarrassed as she saw Papa Smurf standing in the doorway to the room, eyes huge. Ashley turned, gracing the blue creature with a smile.

"Hey, Scott," she said, turning to the blonde, but was only in time to see Spencer hurry out of the room. Ashley tried to follow, but was held up by the push of people in the other room. By time she reached the street, there was only the distant sound of a car screeching around the corner.

"Shit." As she looked up into the black sky, she could feel the soft snow falling, wetting her face and tickling her lashes. "Shit!" she exclaimed louder, voice echoing into the night.

* * *

Spencer was shocked to find herself sitting behind the wheel of her car, speeding like a demon being chased through town. She wasn't entirely sure why she had run, but only knew that her heart was racing and she felt sick, and unbelievably turned on. "Fuck," she whispered, running a trembling hand through her hair, making it even wilder than it already was.

Stopping at a red traffic light, Spencer checked the rearview mirror, half surprised to not see Ashley's car pull up behind her. Turning her attention back to the road, she sighed. Her emotions were in a tangle: did she feel stupid and embarrassed for overreacting? Did she feel frightened and totally uncomfortable with what had just happened? Was she more aroused than she'd ever been in her life? Did she want to cry or die?

The light turned green, and Spencer got her car moving again, slowly making a zigzag route home. she couldn't wait to get out of the unfamiliar leathers, wanting nothing more than to curl up in flannel pants and a t-shirt and write. That she was familiar with, that she knew, and that she knew would not hurt her. Spencer's attention was brought to her cell, which was tucked into the console of her car. She didn't answer it. After a moment, the ring tone stopped, only to be exchanged with the honking of an incoming text message.

One eye on the roads, which were becoming slick, she grabbed the phone and flipped it open.

_R u OK?_

Spencer wasn't entirely sure how to respond to that, so she tucked the phone back into the console and continued home. As she pulled into the driveway, then the garage, another text message came in.

_I'm not going 2 bother u, but I am sorry. Don't know what got into me. Please at least let me know you're OK. _

Spencer sighed again, sitting in her garage, she responded:

I'm fine. Need 2 think.

With that, she shut her phone off and headed inside. She quickly changed into the flannel pants and t-shirt she was fantasizing about and built a fire. Sitting on the couch in front of it, Spencer curled her legs under her and stared into the flames. She could see Ashley's brown eyes, and she shut her own- she didn't want to see any part of Ashley right now. She needed to reconcile what had happened that night with her thoughts of their friendship.

In doing so, her mind felt it had free reign to return to their kiss. Nothing had ever affected Spencer quite like it. Yes, it was physically pleasing, and yes, it was certainly physically arousing. But there was more to it than that. She had felt it at a level that she thought was long gone after Kathryn. Certainly long dead.

Spencer popped up from the couch, feeling antsy and restless. She wanted to talk to Ashley, find out why the brunette had kissed her. She needed Ashley to understand that her heart just couldn't take it. Not now, not ever. When the relationship with Kathryn had ended, Spencer's own self-identity had ended right along with it. She had been shattered, and as she had put the pieces back together again the next year and a half, she had realized they hadn't fit anymore, and Spencer had emerged as a very different person. Carmen aside, Spencer had grown into a stronger person, more focussed on her career, and knowing that nothing could ever break her like Kathryn had.

Her deep fears where Ashley was concerned was that she felt in her heart of hearts that the brunette had that ability. She could be able to reach inside Spencer and find a niche inside her heart, and potentially destroy her. Spencer could never, ever give anyone that kind of possession again.

But on the other side of that very grim token, Spencer had the distinct feeling that Ashley could give her strength like no one had, either. She felt, even in their very short acquaintance, that Ashley could provide a source of strength that would cement all the work Spencer had done on herself. But how was that possible? She'd met the brunette a handful of times, and had spoken with her via phone and text message only a few times more than that. Spencer was a writer, a storyteller, one whose livelihood was based off creating fantasy. Even still, her creative mind couldn't reconcile with that true "happily ever after", especially when it was after no more than a handful of weeks.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered, pacing in front of the fireplace. "It doesn't work that way." Her musings were stopped by a knock on the door. A glance at the clock told her it was too later for trick-or-treaters, and she had her porch light off, anyway. Sighing heavily, Spencer walked over to the door and unlocked it before pulling it open. To her not-so-surprise, Ashley stood on the stood, changed into jeans and a heavy winter coat. The brunette's eyes were red-rimmed, which took Spencer by surprise.

"Listen, I know you said you needed some time, but I had to come over," the brunette said, her voice thick from emotions. She glanced past the blonde. "Can I come in for two seconds? It's really cold out here."

Nodding dumbly, Spencer stepped aside, allowing the smaller woman in. Ashley quickly stepped over to the mat so her snow-covered boots wouldn't touch the carpet. Spencer closed the front door and stood back, arms crossed over her chest, waiting.

Ashley unzipped her coat, but made no move to stay. She ran a hand through her hair, which was slightly damp from the falling snow. After standing there awkwardly for a minute, Spencer spoke. "Take your coat off. I'll make some coffee."

Relived, Ashley did as she was asked, keeping here eyes off the retreating form as she untied her boots and slipped her feet out of them. She hung her coat on the rack near the door, shivering slightly as she headed toward the kitchen.

"Could you get me the cream from the fridge?" Spencer asked, her back still to her uninvited guest.

"Sure." Ashley did as asked, placing the dairy container on the counter next to Spencer. They stood silently for a moment as the coffee brewed until finally Ashley spoke. "I'm really sorry, Spencer. I'm not exactly sure what happened. Well, why, anyway. It just did."

Spencer was quiet for a moment, then turned to face the brunette. She looked down at her hand, which rested on the countertop, unable to meet Ashley's eyes. "You don't need to apologize. It's not that you did anything wrong, exactly. I… It scared me."

"Why?" Ashley took a careful step closer.

Why indeed. Spencer sighed then met Ashley's gaze. "I'm not very good at this relationship thing, Ashley."

The defeat in the blonde's voice hurt Ashley's heart. "Why do you say that? It sounds to me like others have made that decision for you." She stepped yet closer, not even fully realizing what she was doing. She was so damn drawn to Spencer. Her voice softened. "I'm sorry that I scared you, Spencer, but I cannot apologize for kissing you. No, I didn't mean for it to happen, but I will never be sorry that it did."

Spencer could feel her heart begin to pound madly in her chest. As she looked into the deep, soul-reading eyes of Ashley, she felt herself become lost. Suddenly she began to speak, though she hadn't realized she'd opened her mouth. "Since the first day I met you," she said, her voice not much more than a whisper, "I've felt drawn to you. I didn't want to- fought it, in fact. My heart cannot take anymore disappointments, Ashley." She reached a hand out, gently brushing her fingertips against the softness that was the brunette's cheek. Brown eyes closed as Ashley leaned into the touch.

"I don't want to hurt you, Spencer," Ashley said softly. "I want to keep you safe. Make you happy." When her eyes opened, Spencer was surprised to see the level of emotion and adoration in them. She took hold of the blonde's hands, running her thumb along the backs of her fingers before laying a soft kiss on them. "I feel so much when I'm with you. I feel so… whole."

Spencer knew her defenses were crumbling. In truth, she never had any defenses against Ashley, who had entered her personal space upon their very first meeting. A woman whom Spencer had shared her heart with, in the images upon the screen of her films. A woman who Spencer wanted to share so much more with. Swallowing hard, she met Ashley's gaze. "Please don't hurt me."

Ashley shook her head, taking that final step to make the space between them disappear. "No."

Reaching up, she cupped Spencer's cheek, gently bringing the taller woman down until their lips met. Spencer sighed into the kiss, pushing all her fear to the back of her mind to study another day. Right now she knew, more than she knew her own name, that she wanted Ashley- wanted her in her life, wanted her in her heart, wanted her in her bed.

Spencer grasped Ashley's face, pulling her in deeper, parting the brunette's lips with her tongue. She felt a surge of passion like nothing she'd ever felt. Ashley's arms snaked up around her neck, pulling their bodies even closer, her fingers buying themselves in Spencer's hair.

Breathless, Spencer pulled away, resting her forehead against Ashley's. "Will you come upstairs with me?" she asked, trying to get her heart rate under control. She felt Ashley's nod, the brunette's breaths coming in heavy puffs of air.

The short trek up the stairs and into Spencer's bedroom was done in silence, one simply leading the other by the hand. Once they reached the darkened room, Spencer stopped, turning to face her soon-to-be lover. She placed a soft kiss on Ashley's forehead, then traveled deeper into the room, switching on a bedside lamp, which sent buttery light painting everything.

Ashley didn't bother taking in the room around her. She only had eyes for Spencer. She met the blonde halfway across the room, her hands coming up to rest on Spencer's upper chest.

Looking deeply into her eyes, she needed to make sure this was what the writer wanted. Guilt or regret later would not do. In the swirling oceanic depths, she only saw desire.

Without a word, Ashley reached the hem of Spencer's shirt, feeling the skin beneath graze her fingers as she lifted, nearly burning to the touch. As the cotton cleared Spencer's head, Ashley's gaze laid a fiery trail over Spencer's bare breasts and smooth skin.

Spencer shook her hair free of the garment, then she watched as Ashley took in her body, chiseled from hours of hard work and care. "You are so beautiful, Spencer." Ashley's fingers grazed along the flat, hard planes of the blonde's stomach, watching in fascination as the muscles beneath trembled. Her hands fanned out, palms flat against the hot flesh, moving up until they covered the firm breasts.

Spencer closed her eyes, her breaths coming in uneven gasps as her rigid nipples snuggled against the warmth of Ashley's hands, which began to squeeze and message her. Blindly, Spencer's fingers began to tug at the brunette's clothing, needing desperately to feel the warmth of her skin.

Ashley quickly lost her shirt, then felt trembling fingers on the buttons of her jeans. She watched as the buttons were pulled free, then warm hands tucked into the open, loosened Levi's, pushing the denim down over her hips until they fell down her legs. Stepping out of them, Ashley rested her hands on Spencer's naked waist for support.

Standing in nothing more than panties, bra and socks, Ashley looked up into Spencer's eyes, looking for approval. The blue eyes scanned her body, a fire burning within. Ashley's own eyes took in Spencer's flannel pants and socks, and quickly worked to remove them, taking the blonde's panties with them.

Kneeling before the writer, Ashley quietly asked her to lift one foot at a time, removing the socks as she did. Rising, Ashley's eyes never left Spencer's as she reached behind herself, unsnapping her bra and letting the garment fall to the floor. She hooked her fingers into the waistband of her panties, but was stopped with a soft touch to her wrist.

"Let me," Spencer said softly. She stepped closer, their breasts brushing against one another, making both shiver, as Spencer lightly grasped Ashley's hips. She pushed against the garment, the fabric easily giving way. Spencer lowered herself as the panties fell until finally she was on her knees. Ashley stepped out of the garment, kicking the saturated silk aside. Spencer's hands slid up along muscular thighs, soft and smooth. She closed her eyes, placing a kiss on the taut belly, inhaling Ashley's scent as she did. She moaned at the hot arousal that met her nose.

Ashley sighed, head falling back as her eyes closed. She ran her fingers through Spencer's hair. The blonde's hot breath sent shivers through her body. The kiss to her stomach led to another, further down, and wetter. A fiery tongue shot out and traced her navel before moving up along the line of her abdomen, between her breasts, and finally covering her own mouth. Ashley held her tight, moaning at the feel of their bodies pressed together.

Spencer broke the kiss just long enough to pull Ashley back to the bed with her, the brunette falling atop her as their lips met again. Ashley wanted nothing more than to devour the woman beneath her, but decided to take it slow. She wanted to explore and please Spencer. Show her with her mouth, hands and body what she was too afraid to say.

Spencer sighed, her hands running down Ashley's back as the brunette broke their kiss, her hot mouth covering the writer's throat, nipping and sucking. Ashley hummed softly against Spencer's skin, her hand cupping one of her breasts, delighting in the taste and responsiveness of the turgid nipple, which she flicked her tongue over. Finally she sucked it inside her mouth, sucking rhythmically.

Spencer was lost in a haze of sensation, her legs opening for the brunette's lithe body to fit between them, groaning as her hot center pressed against a firm stomach. She groaned as Ashley continued her journey south, her mouth leading the way. Her eyes closed and her head fell back as hot breath brushed across the neatly trimmed curls between her legs. She felt her thighs pushed open wider, lips and tongue dancing across her inner thighs, trailing to the bend of her legs.

Ashley moaned at the first taste of the writer, her tongue slicing through the thick, wet heat, finding the spot where Spencer needed her the most. She felt a hand in her hair, guiding her gently, allowing the brunette to lead this dance. Ashley licked in soft, even strokes, meant to ignite. By the gentle bucking of Spencer's hips, she figured it was working its magic.

Spencer could barely breathe, Ashley's tongue quickening its pace against her sex. She groaned loud and deep in her chest, a fiery ball of pleasure building within her belly, threatening to ignite the entire room into a fiery passion. When Ashley entered her with two fingers, she lost any hope of control over her own body, and was thrown over the edge with a breathless cry, her fingers grabbing a handful of brunette hair as she released.

Humming in satisfied pleasure, Ashley kissed her way back up Spencer's body, leaving a trail of kisses along the way, until she reached the blonde's mouth. The kiss they shared was deep, and filled with still-unquenched passion.

Ashley cried out in surprise when she found herself flat on her back, and ravenous Spencer above her. "I want to make you come so hard," the brunette murmured against the skin of her neck. Ashley groaned, arms wrapping around her lover's neck. She was nearly on overload as Spencer's tongue was everywhere- her neck, her upper chest, tracing her collarbones, and then finally on one of her breasts.

"Oh god, Spencer," she whimpered as one of the blonde's hands slid down her body, and between her legs. Ashley couldn't remember ever being so wet- her desire had completely coated the insides of her thighs, and was slipping down onto the sheets below her body.

Spencer felt like she had left her body, leaving a wanton being behind. She wanted to feel Ashley's body convulse at her touch, wanted to see Ashley explode with pleasure. Her fingers slid into the lava that was the brunette's sex, quickly finding her hardened clit. There was no need to coat it with Ashley's juices, as her fingers were immersed immediately, as was every part of Ashley's sex.

"God, you are so wet," she whispered into the brunette's mouth, taking her in a long, deep kiss. She cringed slightly as she felt blunt fingernails dig into her bicep as her fingers began to work, rolling the hard nub before finding Ashley's entrance. She didn't wait for permission as she slid inside with two fingers. Ashley groaned at the invasion, her hips rising to meet Spencer's touch.

Ashley felt dizzy from her need. She brought a hand up to entwine with Spencer's hair, drawing the taller woman in for a bruising kiss that left them both breathless. As Spencer's fingers worked inside her, she began to breathe harder, breaking the kiss for need of air.

"Oh, god," she whimpered, her head falling to the side. She cried out again as a hot mouth latched onto her other breast, and the hard sucking motion soon matched the rhythm of Spencer's fingers. Ashley knew there was no way she'd last long.

Spencer quickened her pace, hearing the need in Ashley's voice. She pulled away from the brunette's breast, the nipple popping out of her mouth with a wet sound, and watched Ashley's face. Her eyes were closed, head arching back as a loud cry was ripped from her throat, thighs slamming closed around Spencer's arm.

Ashley felt strong arms hold her tight as her body suffered multiple aftershocks, her thoughts fuzzy and scattered. She responded as best she could to the soft kisses peppered over her lips. Finally she was settled into a warm embrace, Spencer's body curled around her own.

Spencer closed her eyes, savouring the moment as she held Ashley, never wanting to let the brunette go. "We have a lot of talking to do," she said softly, "but I don't want to lose you."

Ashley sighed in utter exhausted contentment. "You won't. And we will." She sighed happily, eyes drooping closed. "Tomorrow."

_The End_

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**That's the end of it,  
let me know what you think! :o)**


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